VIN’s Community Health Program in Jitpur aims to sustainably and significantly improve the basic health conditions of the residents by improving access to health services, hygiene acilities and awareness of health and hygiene issues.
Community Health is a major concern for VIN. The goal of this program is to improve the basic health of the Jitpur community focusing on:
- Determining common health problems and risk factors among the community
- Control of communicable and non communicable diseases
- Increase community access to quality health services
- Improve hygiene and sanitation facilities in the community
- Improve health and hygiene practices
- Provide basic health and first aid training
School Health Program
VIN conducted health camps at a number of schools and Early Childhood Development (ECD ) centres in the Jitpur community.562 children and local community people were treated at 12 health camps throughout the year. The main objectives of these camps were to:
- Check the general health of the children
- Screen the oral hygiene of the children
- De-worming of the children
- Raise the children’s awareness on hygiene and sanitation
Hygiene and Sanitation Awareness Sessions
VIN provided health, hygiene and sanitation awareness session among primary school children throughout the year. Practical demonstrations of teeth brushing and hand washing were carried out and instruction on the harmful effects of not following these practices as given. 652 students benefited from this program.
School Health Talks
Health talks, facilitated by international volunteers, were conducted in all schools. Around 400 students were presented with a talk on mental health, 800 were presented with water purification techniques and 750 were presented with a talk on communicable diseases, hygiene and sanitation.
Health Clinic Program
VIN’s medical team (medical officer nursing staff and volunteers) has been providing extended medical services to Jitpur community people three days a week. The major objective of this service is to improve quality of health services provided by the existing health post. Throughout this year services were provided at the clinics on 114 days and 2800 patients were examined.
Monastery Awareness Campaign and Health Camp
VIN has a popular volunteer program of teaching English at buddhist monastery. Through this program volunteers were able to provide a one day awareness campaign on hygiene and sanitation ad a health camp. The major health problems found among the monks included wounds on different parts of the body, fungal infection of the scalp, skin infections and sprains. All of the monks were treated according to their health problems.
Community Awareness Program
Awareness Program on Breast Cancer and Women’s Reproductive Health
An international health volunteer, who specializes in gynecology and obstetrics, was able to conduct an awareness campaign on breast cancer and women’s reproductive health. The main objectives of this campaign were to:
- Provide awareness on reproductive health, uterine prolapsed and breast cancer to women
- Demonstrate self breast examination techniques
- Disseminate information on a better way to prevent uterine prolapsed and breast cancer
5 campaigns were carried out visiting different women’s groups in the community and 125 women benefited from this campaign. The women were also taught pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the pelvic organs.
Specialized Mobile Clinic on Gynecology
A specialized mobile clinic on gynaecology was set up to determine the common gynecological problems within the community and to provide treatment. The clinic was conducted by VIN’s doctor with the assistance of the international health volunteer.46 women were examined in this clinic and 27 were found to be suffering with problems. The main problems found were Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), Dysmenorrhea (painfulperiods), Rectocoel/Cystocoel/Uterine Prolapsed, Vaginitis, Breast lumps and Menorrhagia (massonbreast), Metrorrhagia (heavyperiods), Stress Incontinence, Secondary Amenorrhea (missingperiod), UTI. Each were treated either with prescription medicine, exercise or were referred to the hospital.
Waste Management and Water Purification Campaign
An awareness program on the importance of waste management and water purification was conducted by VIN to 76 women in the community. This campaign covered techniques for waste segregation and disposal and instruction on water purification methods. From this session the women learned the lots of diseases can be prevented by using proper waste management and water purification. The women were encouraged to use these techniques in their daily life.
Managed Public Bin in Dadagaun
VIN aims to establish a clean environment in Jitpur. As part of this environmental program VIN installed public bins to manage the garbage generated by the community. Large drums were installed in public positions; each drum is to support 5-6 households initially behavior changed, rubbish was being deposited in the drums and the environment became cleaner. Later, however, it was found that people stopped using the bins as no one was emptying them, also the bins tended to fill with water when it rained. To manage the rain water problem holes were drilled into the base of the drums for drainage. The community has been instructed to keep up their efforts to use the bins and keep the environment clean and have been warned that if they fail to do so the bins will be removed.
Toilet Construction Project
VIN aims to establish a stool free environment in Jitpur by ensuring every household has access to a toilet. 30 toilets were constructed in 2012 under construction and manual work program and total number of toilets constructed so far is 117.
